Ditching-machine.



DE WIE c. sToWB. -DITL'HEIIBHEr MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26, 1912'.

-DE WITT G. STOWE.

DITGHING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. ze, 1912.

1,07 ,4:77. Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

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DE WITT G. STOWE.

DITGHING MACHINE.

APPLIOATIQN FILED SEPT. ze, 1912. v -glqg'lqyl vPatented Aug. 26, 1913.

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fallu@ amm@ @GGO @GOG CD (D I O l IIIHIIHIHIH S14/WMO@ DE WITT G. STOWE.

Patented Ang-26, 1913.

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LOMA?? UNITED STATS l' l DE WITT c. s'rown, or MoonLAANn, CALIFORNIA. v L

DITcHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. raeentedauw. 26,1913.

Application filed September 26, 1912. Serial No. 722,505.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DE WITT C. S'rown,

a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Moorland, in the county of San Joaquin, State of California, havel invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ditching- Machines; "and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact-description of the invention, such as will enablel ously cut the ditch, elevate the earth and divide lthe earth on either side ofthe cut.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ditching machine in which the combined turning and elevating mechanism may be adjusted to diHerent angles depending upon the nature of the earth and at the same time constituting a means for regulating the depth of the out.

A further object of the invention -is to provide a. ditching machine of the character described which is composed of a relatively few number of parts, is therefore simple in construction and is cheap to manufacture. With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claim hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claim may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacri: ficing any vof the advantages of the invention.v

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a grading machine constructed in accordance with my invention, the conveyer being shown in its operative position, Fig. 2 is a similar view but showing the convcycr raised to an inoperative position, Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 1, Fig. 4' is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 1 -L1 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing a modified form of my invention, and Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of the fan casing taken on the line 6-'6'of Fig. 5.

Like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings. 4

Referring to the drawings, my invention comprises a traction engine which is indicated as a whole by the reference letter A. This .traction engine is of ordinary construction and includes the usual main frame B which is supported upons'uitable ground wheels 5. Mounted upon the rearv portion of the frame B is a motor C of any suitable type and this motor includes a sectional drive shaft 6 which extends forwardly and is arranged longitudinally of said frame.

This sectional shaft comprises a main shaft 7 and an extension shaft 8 which are con.

nected by'means of a universal joint 9 of any suitable construction.' The main shaft 7 is suitably supported in bearings 10 carried on the main frame B whereby the extension shaft 8 is' adapted to swingv in a vertical plane.

Supported by the main frame B on opposite sides of the coupling 9 are spaced brackets 1111. hanger arm 12l is formed with'a fork 13 at one end and with a bearing 14 at the other end. The arms of the fork vare disposed on opposite sides of the coupling 9, and are pivotally connected to the brackets 11 by means of horizontal pins 15-15, said pins being arranged in alinement with'each other and with the center of the coupling 9.l A hanger arm 16 is of a length similar to the arm 12 and is formed at its opposite ends with bearings 17 and 18 respectively, the bearing' 18 receiving the lfree-end of the extension shaft 8. A collar 19 is carried by the shaft 8 and serves to prevent the hanger arm 16 from moving inwardly along said shaft.

Loosely mounted in the bearing 14: of the hanger arm 12 and in the bearing 18 of the' hanger arm 16 is a conveyer 20 which extends for some ldistance beyond the free end of the extension shaft 8. It will be n'oted in this connection that on account of the hanger arms 12 and 16 being of uniform lengths, the extension shaft 8 and conveyer shaft 20 are disposed in parallel rela. tion. -In order to prevent the conveyer shaft from longitudinal sliding movements with respect to the bearings v14 and 18, said shaft is provided on opposite sides of the bearing 14 with collars 21-21. Fixed upon the extension shaft 8 is a 4gear wheel 22 which is in mesh at all time'swith a pinion 28 that is xed on the conveyer shaft 20.

25 ear 36 formed on the 30 connection.

40 the drawings by means of 55 understood, and when it is nipulated to swing 1W, p v l11,071,4.77

.The projecting' or lower end of the Aconveyer shaft 2O is formed with a screw conveyer 24 of ordinary construction, and disposed around this conveyer is a casing 25,

5 the uppercnd thereof being secured to the bearing 18.. Ther front face of the casing 25v is cut away, as at 26, to permit of the screw conveyer 24 engaging the earth when the machine is movedv forwardly as will be hereinafter more fully explained. The dithe upper portion of the casing 25. A bell crank lever 28 is fulcrumedat its angle as at 29, upon a bracket 3() which is carried by the main frame lBin advance of-'the eXtension shaft 8. This lever includes a normally horizontal arm 3l and a normally vertical arm 82, the former being pivotally connected at its free end, as at 33, to one .end of a link 34, the other end of said link being pivotaly connected, as at 85, to. an bearing 17. A hand lever 37 is fulcrumed upon the main frame B and this lever is pivotally connected to the vertical arm 32 of the bell crank lever 28 by means of a rod-38 or other suitable Depending from the main frame B directly in rear of the spiral conveyer 24 is a double plow 39 which is adapted to throw the earth when' the latter has b een elevated by the conveyer on the opposite sides of the cut or ditch.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that when it is desired to cut a ditch the machine is driven forwardly and the conveyer 24 is lowered to the position shown in Fig. 1 of the hand lever 37, and motion is transmitted to the conveyer from the drive shaft 6 through the gear wheel 22 and pinion 23. The forward movement of the machine causes the conveyer 24 to cut the earth and at the same time elevate the latter to the top of thecasing 25 from which the earth is discharged through the opening 27. As the earth is thus-discharged the double plow 39 drops the earth on opposite sides of the cut already made. When ditches of different Adepths are desired to be cut, the angle of inclination of the conveyer 24 may be easily regulated-through themedium of the hand lever 37, as will'bereadily desired to transport the machine the hand `lever 37 is ma'- the `conveyer 24 upwardly uponj the plv-ots' 15 until the lower end of the conveyer 1s disposed above the ground, asis clearly shown in-Fig. 2 of the drawing.

In` the modiedform of my invention, as

*"7 *illustrated `in Figs.-V 5 and 6 of the drwingsv the main frame D is supported `upon the e5 usual ground wheels 40. A motor of any suitable type is supported upon the forward end of the main frame D and-this motor includes a rearwardlyv extending longitudinally disposed drivev shaft 41, the end of the shaft extending into a casing 42 and having a connection with a differential gear 48, the latter being adapted to be connected to the tractor wheels of the'machine. Projecting upwardly from the casing 42 are bearings 44 44, and journaled in these bearings4 is a countershaft 45, and on the front end of this shaft is fixed a pinion 46 which is driven 4from a gear wheel 47 fixed on the drive shaft 41. The forward end of the countershaft 45 is connected to an extension shaft 48 through the medium of a universal joint 49 of anysuitable construction. A U-shaped frame 50 is swiveled intermedlate its ends upon the extension shaft 48, and fixed upon said shaft 48 and within the frame 50 is a driving gear 51. A conveyer shaft 52 has one end journaled in the frame 50 and fixed on this shaft and' arranged within the frame is a driven pinion 53, said pinion being -in mesh at all 'times with the drivinggear 51.

The conveyer shaft 52 extends downwardly and rearwardly and below the main frame D, and formed on this shaft is a spiral `conveyer 54. Around this conveyer is disposed a tubular casing 55 having its uderface cut away, as ,at 55,`to form an opening whereby the earth may have direct contact with the conveyer. The upper end of the casing 55 is connected to a fan casin 56 which is loosely mounted on the shaft 52. This casing. is formed with oppositely disposed discharge nozzles 57-57, said nozzles being arranged tangentially of the casing. Disposed within the fan casing 56 and fixed to the conveyer shaft-52 is a fan, which is designated as a whole. by the reference numeral 58. This casing of course communi cates with the tubular casing 55, so that the earth which is elevated by means of the conveyer is forced into the fan casing 56 from ivi/hence it is discharged through the nozzles 57 on either side of the cut. Abell crank hand lever 59 is fulcrumed at its an le, ask

at 60,v upon the main frame B and a link 61 connects the short arm 6 2 of the lever with the lower end of the casing 55.

` From the foregoing, it will be observed that as the machine is moved forwardly, the conveyer 54 isdraggedand the earth Will come in contact' therewith through the open ing 56 of the casing 55.- The conveyer 54 is actuated through the medium of the shaft 52, pinions 51 and 53, extension shaft 48, countershaft 44 and drive shaft 41. As .the machine moves forwardly the dirt' is elevated by the conveyer into the casing 55 and from said casin into the-fan casing 56 from whence it is ischarged as abovedescribed. The depth of the ditch to be cut may be easily regulated by the bell crank hand lever 59, or when it is desired to transport the machine the lever 59 may be actuated so as to elevate the lower end of the conveyer above the ground, as Will be readily understood.

What is claimed is:

In a ditching machine, the combination with a main frame, of a sectional drive shaft including a main shaft and a swinging extension shaft supported in said frame, a coupling connecting said main and eXten- 'sion shafts, spaced brackets mounted on the frame on opposite sides of the coupling, a hanger arm having a fork formed at one end and a bearing at the other end, said fork being pivotally connected to said brackets at points in alinement with the coupling, a hanger arm having bearings respectively formed at either end, one of said bearings receiving the free end of the extension shaft, a conveyer shaft supported in the bearing of the first mentioned hanger arm and in the other bearing of the second mentioned hanger arm, a driving connection between the extension and conveyer shafts, and conveying means fixed on said conveyer shaft.

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

. DE WITT C. STOWE. Witnesses:

Mrs. D. C. Sh'roWE, ELEANOI, LAoEY. 

